From Montana FWP: Ice fishing is a great (and we’d say, the best) way to get out and spend the day in the winter. But remember, no ice is 100% safe and no fish, no matter how big, is worth your life. Meet FWP’s Stacy Schmidt (crab hunter by night, ice safety technician by day) and her Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team.
The best options
Hauser Reservoir – A few perch, rainbows, and burbot are being found from the Causeway Bridge to the power lines on the Causeway Arm and Lake Helena while colorful or shiners are being fished with maggots, perch eyes or crawls near the bottom. Black Sandy is also producing some nice rainbows while using various worm-tipped or crawler colored rigs 6-10 feet below the ice. 12-15 inches of ice reported. – FWP, Helena
Whitefish Lake – If you’re looking for a late night bite, this is the place. The lake side of the state park has been very consistent for whitefish. Smaller green whitefish machines or big green swedes have worked very well, especially when tipped with worms. – Ray Ward, Kalispell
Around western Montana
Lake Ashley – That smaller kokanee bite continues to be consistent with a few limits being reported regularly each week. Perch and cut bows can also be had. Some of the perches have been a good size. The whole lake has been frozen over for a while. – Chancey and Dave’s Fish Camp
Bitterroot Lake – The kokanee bite has slowed, but some anglers reported limits while fishing in 60-80 feet of water on some smaller grade fish. Some larger fish have also been caught in about 200 feet of water. A few rainbow trout have been caught near the north end of the lake. The ice is in “good condition” after the recent cold pot. – Chancey and Dave’s Fish Camp
Canyon Ferry Depot – Rainbow trout are being caught 20 to 35 feet deep around Hole in the Wall and Duck Creek on brown or black jigs with worms or maggots. Walleye and perch are being caught in the mid-reservoir between Hole in the Wall to Confederate and Duck Creek in 35-45 feet of water while using yellow or green Hali jigs or spoons tipped with mealworms, night crawlers or perch eyes. Stay away from the pressure ridges at the south end of the reservoir. There is over 20 inches of ice from the silos to the ponds, 15-18 inches of ice around Duck Creek and the north end has 3-5 inches of ice. – FWP, Helena
Clark Canyon Reservoir – Fishing has been steady in the early morning for trout in depths of 7 to 12 feet on the south and west ends of the lake, respectively. Have a few different lures in your arsenal. Eggs, worms, night crawlers and dyed corn on a small tungsten jig are all on the menu. The bite seems to slow down considerably in the early afternoon so be sure to get out early. Try to find a steep descent; this usually indicates that you have found one of the river or source channels. Ling are picked up sporadically at depths ranging from 10 to 25 feet. Try sucker meat or night crawls after sunset. – Frontier Anglers, Dillon
Lake Georgetown – Trout can be found in 19 feet of water with some deeper. 18 inches of ice has been reported along with lots of snow. – Duane’s Ice Fishing Rentals
Holter deposit – The perch bite on the lower end of the reservoir continues to be strong and good numbers of perch and the occasional walleye are being found at Log Gulch, Departure Point, Prairie Dog Town and the BLM boat ramp while use multicolored Hali. or glow jigs and worms near the bottom in 30-50 feet of water. A few rainbows, flounder and the occasional northern pike are being harvested at Portes de les Muntanyes while using various jigs tipped with cut bait or crawled in 8-10 feet of water 8-11 inches of ice reported. – FWP, Helena
Regulatory reservoir of the Helena Valley – A few kokanee and perch are being caught while using Hali or Sweedish Pimple type ice rigs tipped with red worms or corn near the bottom in 20-35 feet of water. 12-14 inches of ice reported. – FWP, Helena
Lake Mary Ronan – There has been decent perch action in about 35-40 feet of water. The kokanee bite, however, has slowed a bit. – Chancey and Dave’s Fish Camp
Loon Lake, Ferndale – Rainbow trout fishing has been great. Try fishing in about 15 feet with a tungsten fly or a Ratfinkee worm-tipped jig. – Ray Ward, Kalispell
Swan Lake – Lake and rainbow trout have been caught near the river mouth. Zimmer’s Glow Grubs, tubes with half-ounce or full-ounce heads with cut bait have been the ticket for lakers. Kokanee has also made an occasional appearance. – Chancey and Dave’s Fish Camp